Classified as a historic monument in 1840, the Cathédrale Saint-Sacerdos is located in Sarlat-la-Canéda in the Dordogne.
The sanctuary is dedicated to Saint-Sacerdos, who was born in Calviac, a village near Sarlat, and who was bishop of Limoges in the 8th century.
The diocese of Sarlat was created in 1317 following the victory of the royal forces over the Albigensian Cathar armies. It was at this time that Pope John XXII, former bishop of Cahors, appointed the abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Sacerdos as the city's new bishop. The former Romanesque abbey church became the diocesan cathedral.Ò
In the Middle Ages, the cathedral received the Saint's relics, which disappeared during the Wars of Religion.
The diocese of Sarlat was created in 1317, along with several other Catholic dioceses in the Aquitaine region, following the victory of French royal forces over the Albigensian Cathar armies. Pope John XXII, the former bishop of Cahors, appointed the abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Sacerdos as the city's new bishop. The former Romanesque abbey became the diocesan cathedral.
The rebuilt cathedral
The cathedral was rebuilt in 1504, when Bishop Armand de Gontaud-Biron entrusted Pierre Esclache with the task of building a new cathedral, initially under the supervision of master mason Blaise Bernard. Work was intermittent due to lack of funds, wars and epidemics. It was not completed until the 1680s. The vaults were built between 1682 and 1685, under the episcopacy of François III de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, uncle and godfather of Fénelon, tutor to the Dauphin and Archbishop of Cambrai. The diocese was suppressed under the Concordat of 1801, and its territory integrated into the diocese of Périgueux.
The cathedral's interior is impressive, with a magnificent Baroque altarpiece featuring remarkable bas-reliefs on either side of the tabernacle and the front of the exceptional altar, a freshly restored Louis XIV, which stands at the far end of the cathedral's chevet.
The cathedral is also home to a superb 18th-century organ that graces the gallery. The swallow's nest organ was designed by Jean-François Lépine.
The beauty of the stained glass windows at Saint-Sacerdos is another essential attraction of this visit. A meticulous and colorful work highlighting important scenes from the history of the Christian religion.
The Romanesque bell tower, dating from the 12th century, is the oldest part of the edifice. It is the successor to a Carolingian construction, and has undergone a number of changes: the top floor dates from the 17th century, and the bulbous belfry from the 18th century.
St. Sacerdos Cathedral is open to visitors free of charge every day outside service times.
Saint Sacerdos Cathedral
Place du Peyrou,
24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda
Tel.: 07 70 54 03 28
http://www.sarlat.info/decouvrir/sarlat-en-perigord/monuments-sarlat/cathedrale-saint-sacerdos/
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
